1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to auxiliary and safety lighting systems for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a lighting and safety unit for motor vehicles that may be easily attached to and removed from a vehicle's existing trailer hitch and that provides a facility for mounting of additional safety accessories.
2. Description of Related Art
Motor vehicle lighting systems provide lighting for operation of the motor vehicle after dark. Typically, standard, factory installed, equipment for motor vehicles includes headlights that are well suited to driving in the dark. Factory installed taillights and backup lights typically provide weak lighting that illuminates for a limited distance and area, and may provide limited nighttime visibility at best. When operating the vehicle in reverse, the limited lighting, along with a typically restricted rearward view, may cause difficulty for the driver and may create a safety hazard for people and objects or property near the vehicle.
Vehicle headlights are often called upon to provide supplemental lighting for diverse outdoor activities. Vehicle headlights have provided supplemental lighting for emergency roadside service or repairs, illumination of a campsite while campers erect a tent after dark, lighting of work sites, and countless other outdoor lighting functions. However, the limited aim and focus of the vehicle headlights usually limits the effectiveness of such uses.
To address the fundamental safety concern of inadequate rearward lighting of motor vehicles, and to provide an improved light source for work or recreation involving a motor vehicle, an improved vehicle lighting and safety unit is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,028, issued on Apr. 30, 2002 to C. R. Crouse et al., discloses a supplemental reverse lighting apparatus for motor vehicles. The apparatus consists of one or more lamp assemblies contained within an enclosed plastic housing. The housing has a shank that is used to attach the apparatus to a vehicle's trailer hitch. While the device provides improved rearward lighting, the lamps cannot be readily adjusted or re-aimed to suit a particular situation or need. This limits the device's usefulness, especially for special purpose vehicles, such as farm tractors or construction equipment, where other fixtures attached to the vehicle might block the light. Additionally, the plastic construction of the light housing will not offer significant protection for the lighting apparatus itself or for the vehicle in the event the vehicle is backed into an obstruction.
An attachable vehicle lighting system, disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,591, issued on Oct. 20, 1992 to M. J. Chudzik, is intended to overcome the problem of blocked lights inherent when objects, such as a bicycle rack filled with bicycles, are attached to a vehicle. The system disclosed is basically a pair of separate auxiliary lights that may be hung from, or tied or strapped to, various parts of a vehicle or devices attached to the vehicle. In one embodiment, the lights are attached to an extension bar that is attached to the vehicle or the various devices attached to the vehicle. While this system may be useful to overcome the problem of lights that are blocked by accessory devices attached to the vehicle, its use is somewhat limited. The auxiliary lights themselves are not adjustable. The lights will be pointed in a direction dictated by the available mounting place on the vehicle or the vehicle's attached accessory. Additionally, depending on the vehicle and any accessories attached thereto, it may be difficult to find a suitable place to attach the lights as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,828, issued on Jan. 11, 2000 to G. A. Pearce, shows a device for attaching a light to a trailer hitch frame. The device is essentially a bracket to carry the light, with fixtures to retain tie wraps that are used to secure the bracket to the trailer hitch frame. The tie wraps are wrapped around the trailer hitch frame and secured to hold the light bracket in place. Tie wraps, typically made of plastic, are often made such that, once fastened, they cannot be unfastened. Thus, to remove the lights after they have been mounted may require cutting the tie wraps, further requiring that the tie wraps be replaced each time the lights are removed and replaced. Even if the tie wraps are releasable, they will become worn over time and require replacement before they break and possibly result in a lost or damaged light.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, the lighting and safety unit for a trailer hitch of the present invention solving these problems is desired.